Aligos Therapeutics Presents New Data at EASL 2026 Congress
Aligos Therapeutics announced data from ten presentations at the European Association for the Study of the Liver, or EASL, Congress 2026, being held May 27 - 30 in Barcelona, Spain. Newly presented data highlight outcomes for treatment-naive or currently not treated HBeAg+ subjects who completed 96 weeks of 300 mg pevifoscorvir sodium monotherapy, followed by 24 weeks of nucleostide analog monotherapy. Among HBeAg+ subjects, 9 of 10 subjects transitioned to NA monotherapy; of these, four maintained HBV DNA levels below the lower limit of quantification throughout the NA only 24 week follow-up period. Reductions in HBV antigens and HBV RNA were maintained during the NA only 24 week follow-up period. Notably, these viral biomarkers, such as HBV antigens and HBV RNA, are typically unaffected by NA therapy, suggesting that pevifoscorvir sodium may reduce the cccDNA reservoir through engagement of its secondary mechanism of action. In addition, newly presented data showed that among participants with a baseline HBsAg of 3,000 IU/mL, 40% achieved HBsAg less than 3,000 IU/mL at 48 weeks, suggesting eligibility for a functional cure regimen, which may include an antisense oligonucleotide agent. In clinical trials conducted to date, certain ASO agents under development for chronic HBV infection have seen 20%-30% functional cure rates in a patient population of HBsAg less than 3,000 IU/mL. Additionally, preclinical in vitro data demonstrated that long-term treatment with ALG-001075, the active parent moiety of pevifoscorvir sodium, resulted in profound suppression of HBeAg, HBsAg and intracellular HBV RNAs which was durable after treatment withdrawal in HBV-infected HepaRG cells, suggesting a potential reduction in cccDNA level and/or transcriptional activity. The preclinical posters showcased Aligos' and its collaborators' continued innovation and commitment to advancing next-generation therapies in the liver and viral spaces with presentations spanning novel approaches and mechanistic insights. In particular, an analog of ALG-170675, an antisense oligonucleotide, demonstrated an additive to synergistic effect when combined in vitro and in vivo with ALG-001075, the active parent moiety of pevifoscorvir sodium. Additionally, in vitro data from the hepatitis delta virus program demonstrates how the novel approach of targeting HDV replication could be a valuable addition to the current therapeutic arsenal.
